Notes from Linda:
12/1/22: I just found out that most of the commentaries on the Bible Study Tools website are no longer free. That's where most of the quotes that appear on the "Verse of the Day" and "Previous Verses" pages of my website are taken from, so from now on, many of the "Source:" links that I provide on those pages will not contain the quoted text.I was disgusted to read about the organization's new "PLUS" membership, and the only thing I can say about it is that the Bible has this warning in 1 Timothy 6:10 for the owner of Bible Study Tools: "For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows."
____________________
8/8/21: Something is wrong with my Christian forum. Everything seems to be working normally (i.e., the articles are there, and the links work), but for some reason, the forum's format has changed slightly, and I am currently unable to post anything new.
I'm really sorry for the inconvenience. Hopefully, the problem is only temporay and will be fixed soon.
"Verse of the Day"
Bible Verses
Bible Verses
"Verse of the Day"
Bible Verses
Bible Verses
Previous Verses
September 2024
SEPTEMBER 28-30
Proverbs 28:2: "For the transgression [rebellion] of a land [country,] many are the princes [leaders] thereof [which means that there is a large turnover of people in charge]: but by a man [or woman] of understanding and knowledge [i.e., by a wise and good leader] the state thereof shall be prolonged [or 'the nation will be united']."
"1. In this part of the proverb, [King] Solomon speaks of a land (country) is full of transgression.
"a. Transgression: Rebellion; contrary [opposite] to a standard.
"b. Certainly in Israel's later history, there were many times of rebellion.
"c. Rebellion actually characterized Israel since their days [of wandering] in the wilderness. They rebelled against Moses, and thus against God.
"d. God gave them the Law, and immediately, they SAID, 'All that the Lord hath [has] said we will do.'
"e. Shortly after that, they began rebelling against it [the law].
"2. Inner rebellion results in 'many' princes.
"a. This means that because of the unstable nature of the country, they can expect a large turnover in leadership.
"b. Turmoil [confusion, disorder] within the nation manifests [reveals] itself in the leadership.
"c. When you see leaders continually being replaced in a land, it usually indicates chaos within.
"d. I Kings 16:8-11; 15-18; 21-22 -- That was certainly true in the northern Kingdom of Israel. Israel had 20 kings in nine dynasties [dynasty = a succession of rulers from the same family].
"e. The leadership kept turning over because the people themselves were fickle [i.e., constantly changing their opinions] and unstable.
"f. History has given us countless examples. Military coups [unlawful seizures of power] change leaderships rapidly. Rebellion of serfs [bondsmen, slaves] with their pitchforks rally [coming together] against the aristocracy [the ruling class] changes leadership. Political movements and their leaders rise and fall.
"g. And through all this inner turmoil [confusion] the leadership continually changes.
"h. Instability within the country at a grassroots [most basic] level inevitably [surely] results in instability at the top.
"i. That means even more instability… and eventually leads to the toppling of the government or the regime.
"j. In a sense, that chaos and instability is a built-in judgment on the land for their transgression and rebellion.
"3. We need to pray for our country. America is divided.
"a. Transgression has brought about social and political upheaval [s strong or violent change or disturbance].
"b. There has always been a left and a right, which is a good thing.
"c. The two party system [i.e., Republican and Democrat] prevents one side from going to extremes in one direction and tends to keep an even keel [or 'keep it stable and consistent'].
"d. But today it seems that the moral issues have arisen (like abortion and gay lifestyle) which has even further polarized [divided] the land.
"e. This has led to a hostile [unfriendly] environment of demonizing the other side [or describing someone as wicked and threatening] (and both parties are equally guilty).
"f. As Christians, we need to pray. [King] Solomon tells us that hostile division within a land leads to more instability… and chaos could ensue [follow, or take place afterward].
"g. And certainly as Christians, we should not add to the incivility [rudeness] by rhetoric [or 'by using language'] that inflames [provokes, stirs up] and vilifies [slanders, defames, says nasty things about] those with whom we disagree.
"h. It's a free country and we can speak our minds. However, talking about politics does not mean that we have a green light to be unkind and caustic [sarcastic].
"4. This principle is true not only in a country, but it also applies to a city, a business, and even a church.
"a. Rebellion, turmoil, chaos, and disorder from within will result in a rapid turnover of leadership.
"b. Who wants to lead such a group? That kind of rebellion and turmoil will wear a leader out in no time.
"c. Who wants to be the CEO [chief executive officer] of a company that is riddled [filled] with problems within? He may discover after he takes on the job that things were worse than he thought… and decide to bail out [leave, quit].
"d. Or perhaps the inner division will cause the people to want to cast [throw] leaders out because the leader does not cater to [agree with, conform to] their own way of thinking.
"e. It is very difficult to lead a group that is torn from within.
"f. This is what [the apostle] Paul dealt with in [the city of] Corinth. They had various groups within the church that did not get along well with each other: 'I'm of Paul; of Cephas; of Apollos.'
"g. The church had descended into disorder, factions [smaller groups], and were biting and devouring [or 'fighting with, arguing with, and criticizing'] one another.
"h. If there were three different groups in the church headed in three different directions, the leader isn't going to be able to lead them all. He can only lead in one direction, which means that 2/3 of the church isn't following.
"i. It is no wonder [the apostle] Paul dealt so extensively with this church (two lengthy epistles [letters]) in order to help resolve the inner turmoil so that they COULD have stable leadership in the future.
"2b But by a man of understanding and knowledge the state thereof shall be prolonged.
"1. Now [King] Solomon states the reverse [opposite] truth: A good leader will prolong [extend the duration of] the state (country; city-state; etc.)
"a. A divided, unstable, rebellious nation results in MANY leaders.
"b. One stable leader results in a UNIFIED nation.
"c. Here [King] Solomon speaks about the value of a good leader.
"2. A good leader is a 'man of understanding and knowledge.'
"a. The understanding and knowledge here refers primarily [mainly] to wisdom in governing. (That's the topic [subject] of the verse.)
"b. Knowledge: Knowledge; information.
"• A good leader should be well informed; he should have knowledge… especially, the knowledge needed to lead a country… or a business… or an organization…
"c. Understanding: Skill; understanding.
"• I Kings 3:9 -- This is what [King] Solomon asked God for: 'an understanding heart to judge thy people that I may discern [distinguish, tell the difference] between good and evil.'
"• A good leader will be skilled in what he does.
"• He will be skilled in dealing with people and with problems.
"d. A wise and understanding leader will deal with the 'transgression' or rebellion in the country.
"• He will view the transgression as gangrene [death of tissue] in the body and will attempt to remove it and replace the rebellion with a calm spirit… unity… a sense of respecting others--even those with whom you disagree.
"• This should bring about a healing -- like a soothing balm [healing ointment] over the land.
"• A wise leader realizes that ORDER is vital [essential] for the wellbeing of the land and he will seek to restore law and order.
"3. A good leader will prolong the state.
"a. Prolong: To be long; to lengthen; staying power; patience; be in a state of calm in the midst [middle] of a trying [stressful], upsetting experience.
"b. A country governed by a leader with understanding and knowledge will not be plagued [afflicted] with constant military coups, treason, and uprisings [all of which are various ways to attempt to overthrow the government].
"c. It [the state] will not end in tragedy, but its existence will be prolonged.
"d. Why? Because the people are content with the leadership and the way they are treated. He [the leader with understanding and knowledge] will have a unifying [uniting] influence in the land.
"e. Israel had 20 kings in nine dynasties and eight assassinations. However, the southern nation of Judah enjoyed a much more stable rule of [King] David and his descendants. It certainly wasn't perfect, but at least there were some good rulers in the south. There were none in the North.
"4. And of course, this truth can be applied to countries, to businesses, to organizations, and to churches.
"a. Good leadership will be skillful, knowledgeable, and will apply wisdom. In doing so, it will deal with the rebellion, and seek to replace it with unity… law and order.
"b. I Tim. 2:1-2 -- Let's pray for our country, its leaders, and for unity and stability. Don't assume that America as we know it will be prolonged forever. The chaos we see in other countries COULD strike here. Let's pray that it doesn't. Let's do our part as believers [Christians] to maintain civility [civilized conduct, especially politeness and courtesy] and stability, not rebellion and chaos."
(Source: https://www.salembible.org/proverbs-28-index/proverbs-28_2/)
Proverbs 28:2: "For the transgression [rebellion] of a land [country,] many are the princes [leaders] thereof [which means that there is a large turnover of people in charge]: but by a man [or woman] of understanding and knowledge [i.e., by a wise and good leader] the state thereof shall be prolonged [or 'the nation will be united']."
* * * * *
Salem Bible Church has an excellent commentary on this verse, so I have copied the whole thing here:"Leadership"
"2a For the transgression of a land many are the princes thereof:"1. In this part of the proverb, [King] Solomon speaks of a land (country) is full of transgression.
"a. Transgression: Rebellion; contrary [opposite] to a standard.
"b. Certainly in Israel's later history, there were many times of rebellion.
"c. Rebellion actually characterized Israel since their days [of wandering] in the wilderness. They rebelled against Moses, and thus against God.
"d. God gave them the Law, and immediately, they SAID, 'All that the Lord hath [has] said we will do.'
"e. Shortly after that, they began rebelling against it [the law].
"2. Inner rebellion results in 'many' princes.
"a. This means that because of the unstable nature of the country, they can expect a large turnover in leadership.
"b. Turmoil [confusion, disorder] within the nation manifests [reveals] itself in the leadership.
"c. When you see leaders continually being replaced in a land, it usually indicates chaos within.
"d. I Kings 16:8-11; 15-18; 21-22 -- That was certainly true in the northern Kingdom of Israel. Israel had 20 kings in nine dynasties [dynasty = a succession of rulers from the same family].
"e. The leadership kept turning over because the people themselves were fickle [i.e., constantly changing their opinions] and unstable.
"f. History has given us countless examples. Military coups [unlawful seizures of power] change leaderships rapidly. Rebellion of serfs [bondsmen, slaves] with their pitchforks rally [coming together] against the aristocracy [the ruling class] changes leadership. Political movements and their leaders rise and fall.
"g. And through all this inner turmoil [confusion] the leadership continually changes.
"h. Instability within the country at a grassroots [most basic] level inevitably [surely] results in instability at the top.
"i. That means even more instability… and eventually leads to the toppling of the government or the regime.
"j. In a sense, that chaos and instability is a built-in judgment on the land for their transgression and rebellion.
"3. We need to pray for our country. America is divided.
"a. Transgression has brought about social and political upheaval [s strong or violent change or disturbance].
"b. There has always been a left and a right, which is a good thing.
"c. The two party system [i.e., Republican and Democrat] prevents one side from going to extremes in one direction and tends to keep an even keel [or 'keep it stable and consistent'].
"d. But today it seems that the moral issues have arisen (like abortion and gay lifestyle) which has even further polarized [divided] the land.
"e. This has led to a hostile [unfriendly] environment of demonizing the other side [or describing someone as wicked and threatening] (and both parties are equally guilty).
"f. As Christians, we need to pray. [King] Solomon tells us that hostile division within a land leads to more instability… and chaos could ensue [follow, or take place afterward].
"g. And certainly as Christians, we should not add to the incivility [rudeness] by rhetoric [or 'by using language'] that inflames [provokes, stirs up] and vilifies [slanders, defames, says nasty things about] those with whom we disagree.
"h. It's a free country and we can speak our minds. However, talking about politics does not mean that we have a green light to be unkind and caustic [sarcastic].
"4. This principle is true not only in a country, but it also applies to a city, a business, and even a church.
"a. Rebellion, turmoil, chaos, and disorder from within will result in a rapid turnover of leadership.
"b. Who wants to lead such a group? That kind of rebellion and turmoil will wear a leader out in no time.
"c. Who wants to be the CEO [chief executive officer] of a company that is riddled [filled] with problems within? He may discover after he takes on the job that things were worse than he thought… and decide to bail out [leave, quit].
"d. Or perhaps the inner division will cause the people to want to cast [throw] leaders out because the leader does not cater to [agree with, conform to] their own way of thinking.
"e. It is very difficult to lead a group that is torn from within.
"f. This is what [the apostle] Paul dealt with in [the city of] Corinth. They had various groups within the church that did not get along well with each other: 'I'm of Paul; of Cephas; of Apollos.'
"g. The church had descended into disorder, factions [smaller groups], and were biting and devouring [or 'fighting with, arguing with, and criticizing'] one another.
"h. If there were three different groups in the church headed in three different directions, the leader isn't going to be able to lead them all. He can only lead in one direction, which means that 2/3 of the church isn't following.
"i. It is no wonder [the apostle] Paul dealt so extensively with this church (two lengthy epistles [letters]) in order to help resolve the inner turmoil so that they COULD have stable leadership in the future.
"2b But by a man of understanding and knowledge the state thereof shall be prolonged.
"1. Now [King] Solomon states the reverse [opposite] truth: A good leader will prolong [extend the duration of] the state (country; city-state; etc.)
"a. A divided, unstable, rebellious nation results in MANY leaders.
"b. One stable leader results in a UNIFIED nation.
"c. Here [King] Solomon speaks about the value of a good leader.
"2. A good leader is a 'man of understanding and knowledge.'
"a. The understanding and knowledge here refers primarily [mainly] to wisdom in governing. (That's the topic [subject] of the verse.)
"b. Knowledge: Knowledge; information.
"• A good leader should be well informed; he should have knowledge… especially, the knowledge needed to lead a country… or a business… or an organization…
"c. Understanding: Skill; understanding.
"• I Kings 3:9 -- This is what [King] Solomon asked God for: 'an understanding heart to judge thy people that I may discern [distinguish, tell the difference] between good and evil.'
"• A good leader will be skilled in what he does.
"• He will be skilled in dealing with people and with problems.
"d. A wise and understanding leader will deal with the 'transgression' or rebellion in the country.
"• He will view the transgression as gangrene [death of tissue] in the body and will attempt to remove it and replace the rebellion with a calm spirit… unity… a sense of respecting others--even those with whom you disagree.
"• This should bring about a healing -- like a soothing balm [healing ointment] over the land.
"• A wise leader realizes that ORDER is vital [essential] for the wellbeing of the land and he will seek to restore law and order.
"3. A good leader will prolong the state.
"a. Prolong: To be long; to lengthen; staying power; patience; be in a state of calm in the midst [middle] of a trying [stressful], upsetting experience.
"b. A country governed by a leader with understanding and knowledge will not be plagued [afflicted] with constant military coups, treason, and uprisings [all of which are various ways to attempt to overthrow the government].
"c. It [the state] will not end in tragedy, but its existence will be prolonged.
"d. Why? Because the people are content with the leadership and the way they are treated. He [the leader with understanding and knowledge] will have a unifying [uniting] influence in the land.
"e. Israel had 20 kings in nine dynasties and eight assassinations. However, the southern nation of Judah enjoyed a much more stable rule of [King] David and his descendants. It certainly wasn't perfect, but at least there were some good rulers in the south. There were none in the North.
"4. And of course, this truth can be applied to countries, to businesses, to organizations, and to churches.
"a. Good leadership will be skillful, knowledgeable, and will apply wisdom. In doing so, it will deal with the rebellion, and seek to replace it with unity… law and order.
"b. I Tim. 2:1-2 -- Let's pray for our country, its leaders, and for unity and stability. Don't assume that America as we know it will be prolonged forever. The chaos we see in other countries COULD strike here. Let's pray that it doesn't. Let's do our part as believers [Christians] to maintain civility [civilized conduct, especially politeness and courtesy] and stability, not rebellion and chaos."
(Source: https://www.salembible.org/proverbs-28-index/proverbs-28_2/)
SEPTEMBER 27
In a letter to the churches in Galatia, the apostle Paul wrote:
Galatians 6:9: "And let us not be weary in well doing [meaning we shouldn't get tired of doing good things]: for [because] in due season [at the proper time, either in this world, or in heaven (at the Judgment Seat of Christ), or in this world and also in heaven] we [born-again Christians] shall reap [rewards, or 'we shall be rewarded or repaid for our good deeds, by others and/or by God'], if we faint not [or 'if we don't give up and stop doing good things before then']."
____________________
Note: Believers and unbelievers are described in the following articles:
-- "What is a believer?"
(https://www.gotquestions.org/what-is-a-believer.html)
-- "What exactly is an unbeliever?"
(https://www.gotquestions.org/unbeliever.html)
SEPTEMBER 26
In this verse, God is encouraging his prophet Jeremiah, who was in prison, to pray:
Jeremiah 33:3: "Call unto me [God--through prayer], and I will answer thee [you], and [will] shew thee [show, reveal, or make known to you] great and mighty things [which are hidden and], which thou [you] knowest not [do not know]."
SEPTEMBER 25
Today's verse tells why we can trust in God and his word:
Psalm 12:6: "The words of the LORD [as recorded in the Bible] are pure words [i.e., they are true (not mixed with any falsehood) and can be trusted, or relied upon]: [God's words are] as [pure as] silver [which has been] tried [refined repeatedly] in a furnace of earth [or a furnace that is on or in the earth--see note below*], [and] purified seven times [so that they are free from error and corruption]."
"As silver tried in a furnace of earth - The word here rendered [translated as] 'furnace' properly means a workshop. Perhaps it corresponds nearly with our word 'laboratory,' as the term is now used by chemists. It evidently refers to some place where the metal was tried and purified. The words rendered 'of earth' literally mean 'on the earth,' or 'in the earth?' The language does not mean that the 'furnace' was 'made' of [or out of, or from] earth, as would seem to be implied in our version, but that the 'furnace' or laboratory was erected [constructed, set up] on the earth, or in the earth. It may refer to something like a crucible [a ceramic or metal container] placed on the ground, around which a fire of intense [extreme] heat could be made. It is probable that some such structure would be made near the mines where ore [a metal-bearing mineral or rock] was obtained, and that the ore would be thus purified from dross [waste or impure matter] before it was removed."
(Source: https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/bnb/psalms-12.html, "Verse 6")
SEPTEMBER 24
Romans 5:8: "But God commendeth [has expressed, shown, proven, given clear evidence of] his love toward us [everyone in the world], in that, while we were yet [still] sinners, Christ [Jesus] died [on the cross] for us [i.e., to pay for our sins]."
Romans 5:9: "Much more then, being now justified [pardoned, accepted as righteous by God] by his [Jesus'] blood [see note below*], we shall be saved from [God's] wrath [anger] [and from punishment for sin in the flames of hell] through him [or 'through Jesus' death']."
SEPTEMBER 22-23
Proverbs 22:13: "The slothful [lazy] man [person] saith [says], There is a lion without [or 'outside'], I shall be slain [killed] in the streets."
____________________
In his commentary on this verse, Pastor Delany says that laziness is more than a personality trait, cultural issue, or natural disposition [usual way of feeling or behaving]--it's a moral failure, a SIN--and in paragraph 7, he lists what Solomon said about laziness in the book of Proverbs:
"a. Prov. 18:9 -- He [the 'slothful man,' or lazy person] is a great waster of that which God has given him. (time; talents; intellect [intelligence]; etc.)"
"b. Prov. 26:16 -- They [lazy people] often think themselves to be smarter than everyone else."
"c. Prov. 10:26 -- He [the lazy person] is an irritant to those who expect him to work."
"d. Prov. 10:4 -- He will become poor."
"e. Prov. 21:25 - he refuses to labor [or 'do any work']!"
"f. Prov. 20:13 -- He may not have enough food to provide for himself or his family."
"g. Prov. 12:24 -- He will find himself living under bondage--to all of his debt [or 'his bills']."
"h. Prov. 15:19 -- His life is like a hedge of thorns."
"i. Prov. 21:25-26 -- It is a miserable life of desiring to have what others have, but NOT having [it or them]…"
"j. Prov. 26:14 -- And he has no peace of mind."
In the commentary, each of the previous statements is followed by specific examples.
____________________
The next section of the commentary talks specifically about excuses that people give for not doing something (like emloyees not going to work or doing poor-quality work, children not doing their homework, wives neglecting household chores, husbands allowing their houses to fall into disrepair, Christians not going to church or reading their Bibles, etc.).
Some people are lazy, but most are not. Here is the story of what one exceptional person with the right attitude and work ethic can do:
"4. George Washington Carver said, 'Ninety-nine percent of failures come from people who have the habit of making excuses.'
"a. Carver was no stranger to adversity [difficulties, misfortune, hardship] and could have easily made excuses for not succeeding. But that wasn't his way.
"b. Despite being born into slavery, he rose above his circumstances. He earned a B.S. [Bachelor of Science degree] and then an M.S. [Master of Science degree] in agriculture from Iowa State College, and he dedicated himself to teaching poor African-American farmers.
"c. He developed an extension program at Alabama's Tuskegee Institute to take the classroom to the people in the South, teaching agriculture methods and home economics.
"d. And his research resulted in the development of hundreds of products made from crops such as peanuts and sweet potatoes. He did all that despite working with limited resources and opportunities because of segregation. Where others might have offered excuses, Carver achieved excellence."
____________________
If you want to read the commentary, here's the link: https://www.salembible.org/proverbs-22-index/proverbs-22_13/.
SEPTEMBER 21
God Doesn't Judge People by Their Looks
The following event took place after God told his prophet Samuel to go to Bethlehem, make a sacrifice to him (God), and anoint a new king for Israel. We find out later in this chapter that God's choice for king was Jesse's youngest son, David.
1 Samuel 16:6: "And it came to pass, when they [Jesse and seven of his eight sons] were come [or 'had arrived'] [to witness the sacrifice], that he [Samuel] looked on Eliab [Jesse's oldest son], and said, Surely the LORD'S anointed [i.e., God's choice for king, to replace Saul, who (as we learn in 1 Samuel 9:2) was a very tall man] is before him [God, … meaning that Eliab was standing near the altar, where God was present]."
1 Samuel 16:7: "But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on [don't look at, or pay attention to] his [Eliab's] countenance [appearance; i.e., whether he was good-looking or not], or on the height of his stature [how tall he was]; because I have refused [rejected] him [as my choice for king]: for [because] the LORD seeth not [does not see] as [like] man [mankind, human beings, people] seeth; for man looketh [looks] on the outward appearance [of a person], but the LORD looketh on the heart [meaning what that person is like inside]."
"I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character."
It sounds like Dr. King wanted us to do what God does: judge people by their hearts ("the content of their character") rather than by how they look.
____________________
The meaning of Dr. King's statement is explained in detail in an article that Gregg Henriques, Ph.D., posted to his blog in 2016. In it, he wrote:
"Let's take a minute and reflect on what Martin Luther King meant when he talked about the content of character. This refers to the core ethical values of honesty and integrity, respecting others, taking responsibility for one's actions, being fair and just, and being someone who promotes love and compassion in others. We can also think about the content of character in terms of core virtues [character traits that define moral goodness] and the extent to which one [or 'a person'] embodies wisdom, humility, courage, justice, temperance [self-control], and the value of human dignity."
____________________
(Source for above quotes by Drs. King and Henriques: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/theory-knowledge/201609/the-content-our-character)
-- "Who was Jesse in the Bible?"
(https://www.gotquestions.org/Jesse-in-the-Bible.html)
-- "What is the anointing?"
(https://www.gotquestions.org/anointed.html)
SEPTEMBER 19-20
Proverbs 19:22: "The desire [or 'desirable quality'] of a man [or woman or child] is his [or her] kindness: and a poor man [person] is better than a liar."
"f. The liar stands in stark [sharp, complete] contrast to the man who is KIND.
"• The first man [the kind one] demonstrates [shows] his loyalty through deeds [acts] of kindness and mercy.
"• The liar perhaps PROMISES to help… he promises to demonstrate kindness… but he was lying. He had no intention of helping.
"• Or perhaps he [the liar] denies [refuses to admit] that he is ABLE to help, when he is in fact very able [to help]… but [is] unwilling [to do so]."
If you want to read more of the pastor's commentary, here's the link: https://www.salembible.org/proverbs-index/proverbs-19-index/proverbs-19_22/.
SEPTEMBER 18
Proverbs 18:6: "A fool's lips enter into contention [a foolish person who speaks his (or her) mind will cause controversy and become involved in arguments and disagreements], and his [or her] mouth calleth [calls] for strokes [punches or blows, which means that the fool's words may also start a fight (either accidentally or on purpose), resulting in trouble not only for others but also for the fool]."
____________________
In the conclusion, it says, "If you use your tongue like a sword and go around lashing out at people, eventually, you're going to have to pay a price."
____________________
The commentary also says:"If you use your tongue to stir up the pot, eventually, you are going to get a whipping." "Depending on the circles you are traveling in, that 'whipping' could mean losing your job; it could mean losing your front teeth; a law suit; a gangster style assassination; loss of friends; getting beat up out of revenge… or publicly castigated [reprimanded, criticized severely] on the six o'clock news.'"
____________________
If you want to read the commentary, here's the link: https://www.salembible.org/proverbs-index/proverbs-18-index/proverbs-18_6/.
SEPTEMBER 17
How Christians Should Respond When They Are Treated Unkindly
With these verses, in a letter to born-again Christians, the apostle Peter teaches us about vengeance [revenge]:
1 Peter 2:18: "Servants [people who are hired to serve others, such as domestic (household) help], be subject [in subjection, or obedient] to your masters [employers, people in charge] with all fear [by showing them proper reverence (respect)]; [do that] not only to the good [good-natured, kind, merciful] and gentle [masters], but also to the froward [ones--those who are wicked and unjust]."
1 Peter 2:19: "For this is thankworthy [acceptable to God], if a man [or woman or child] for conscience toward God [or 'who is acting according to his (or her) conscience concerning the things of God' and has not done anything bad] endure[s] grief [trouble, annoyance, abuse], suffering wrongfully [unjustly]."
1 Peter 2:20: "For what glory [praise, honor, credit] is it, if, when ye be [when you are] buffeted [treated roughly, punished] for your faults [i.e., the bad things that you have said or done], ye [you] shall take it patiently [bravely, calmly, without resisting or complaining]? but if, when ye do well [when you do good, do right, don't do anything wrong], and suffer [reproach and persecution] for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God."
1 Peter 2:21: "For even hereunto [even to this, referring to a state of suffering, as a follower of Jesus Christ, per 2 Timothy 3:12] were ye [you, born-again Christians] called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow [in] his [Jesus'] [foot]steps [meaning we should imitate him, or copy his actions]:"
1 Peter 2:22,23: "Who [referring to Jesus] did no[t] sin [or 'never sinned'], neither was guile [deceit, hypocrisy, insincerity] found in his mouth: Who [i.e., Jesus], when he was reviled [insulted by others], reviled not again [did not insult them back]; when he suffered [injustice, beatings, etc.], he threatened not [meaning he did not threaten punishment or vengeance]; but committed himself to him [the Person] that judgeth [judges] righteously [honestly, fairly, justly] [meaning he turned everything over to God]:"
"… POINTS TO NOTE:
"1. Our obligation to our duties, work, job, do not depend upon the character of the person in charge. At times people try to justify [make excuses for] their laziness, or uncooperative attitude, because their boss or the company is so unfair.
"2. Suffering injustice doesn't give the Christian a right to act in an unjust manner, i.e. steal time or things from the company, become less then earnest [serious and determined] in your work, etc…
"3. The Christian must always remember that the Master they are always serving in whatever economic situation they find themselves, is Christ (Ephesians 6:5-6). 'Christianity introduced a new attitude to work. It is the conviction of the New Testament that all work must be done for Jesus Christ….work is not done (primarily) for personal prestige [respect and admiration]…to make so much money…It is, of course, true that a man must work in order to earn a wage [paycheck], and he must work to satisfy a master [employer, boss]; but beyond that there is for the Christian the conviction that his work must be done well enough to take it and to show it to God without shame' …"
(Source: https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/eng/dun/1-peter-2.html, "Verse 18")
"Who when he was reviled, reviled not again,.... When he [Jesus] was reproached as [or accused of being] a glutton [a person who eats too much], a winebibber [a person who drinks too much], a friend of publicans [tax collectors] and sinners, all the reply he made was, that Wisdom is justified of her children; and when he was charged with casting out devils by Beelzebub [Satan], the prince of devils, he defended himself, not with bad language, but with strong reasonings; and when he was said to be a Samaritan [a half-breed--see note below*], and had a devil, his only answer was, that he had not [did not have] [a devil], that he honoured his Father [God], and they dishonoured him; and when he was reviled [insulted] on the cross, by those that passed by, by the chief priests, and Scribes, and the thieves that were crucified with him, he made no return [or 'did not respond'], he opened not [or 'did not open'] his mouth [to speak, meaning he didn't say anything at all], and much less in a recriminating way [i.e., by making retaliatory accusations, or accusing them of the same thing that they accused him of],
"When he suffered he threatened not; when he [Jesus] endured buffetings [being hit or punched repeatedly], and scourgings [beatings with a whip] in his body, when the officers in the palace of the high priests spit in his face, buffeted him, and smote [hit] him with the palms of their hands, and bid him prophesy who smote him [or 'asked him to tell them who hit him'], all which were very provoking; yet he said not one word to them, much less threatened them with what he would do to them for such usage another day, when he would let them know, with vengeance, who it was that smote him; no, he took all [of that abuse] patiently from them, and from Pilate, and the Roman soldiers, when scourged by them; he gave his back to the smiters [people who beat him], and his cheeks to them that plucked off [pulled out] the hair [of his beard]; and when he suffered crucifixion, and was put to such distressing pains and agonies, he did not threaten his crucifiers with a future judgment, when he would take vengeance, and execute his wrath [anger] upon them, but prays to his Father [in heaven--God] for the forgiveness of their sins: and, as it follows,
but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously; he [Jesus] commended [entrusted] his Spirit, or soul, to God his Father, and committed his cause to him, to vindicate it [or 'to acquit or clear him'] in what way he should think fit, who he knew was the Judge of all the earth, that would do right … and which is an example, and an instruction to the saints [Christians] to do so likewise; not to render railing for railing [or give back reviling for reviling], or to seek revenge, but to leave their cause with their God, who will, in his own time, avenge [pay someone back for] the wrongs and injuries done them …"
(Source: https://www.studylight.org/commentary/1-peter/2-23.html, "Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible ")
"The historian Josephus and Jewish tradition trace the origin of the Samaritans to the captivity of the northern kingdom under Assyria in 721 BC. Jews of the northern kingdom intermarried with Assyrians after the captivity and produced the half-Jewish, half-Gentile Samaritan race. When the Jews accused Jesus of being a 'Samaritan' in John 8:48, they were rudely suggesting that He was a half-breed, born of an unfaithful mother."
The article entitled "What is a Samaritan?" includes the above quote and other interesting information about Samaritans. If you want to read it, here's the link: https://www.gotquestions.org/what-is-a-Samaritan.html.
SEPTEMBER 15-16
Proverbs 15:8: "The sacrifice of the wicked [person, such as an offering that is given or a religious thing that is done by an unsaved person or a born-again Christian whose heart is not right with God and/or other people] is an abomination [a disgusting or repulsive thing] to the LORD: but the prayer of the upright [person, referring to someone who is saved and tries to live his or her life in a way that is acceptable and pleasing to God] is his [God's] delight."
Regarding Sacrifices:
"God knows what's going on in the [person's] mind as the sacrifice is offered."
"The wicked [person's] mind can devise all kinds of reasons to offer sacrifice to God: an attempt to atone [make up] for our sin; to restore fellowship [with God] = a lack of confidence in the blood of Christ [to pay for our sins]; a cloak [cover] for maliciousness [the desire to harm someone]; pretense [deceiving people on purpose]; pride; showmanship [skill at entertaining]; to be seen of men [or 'people']…"
Regarding Prayer:
"God is not impressed with a room full of people here [at Salem Bible Church] at our prayer meetings [or at any other church's prayer meetings]… if we are harboring [hiding] SIN in our hearts at the same time [that] we come to the throne of grace [or 'to God'] in prayer!"
"If we behave in a wicked way--even our prayers are an abomination to God."
"It is not that God is unable to hear the prayers of the wicked, or that He is ignorant [unaware] of what they are saying in their prayers. He knows their hearts."
"It is that God CHOOSES not to hear them [the 'wicked' people]… BECAUSE He knows their heart!"
____________________
If you want to read one or both of the above-mentioned commentaries, here are the links:
-- "Sacrifice and Prayer"
(https://www.salembible.org/proverbs-index/proverbs-15-index/proverbs-15_8a/)
-- "The Prayer of the Upright"
(https://www.salembible.org/proverbs-index/proverbs-15-index/proverbs-15_8b/)
SEPTEMBER 14
Proverbs 14:34: "Righteousness [behavior that is morally justifiable or right] exalteth [exalts, lifts up, brings honor to] a nation: but sin is a reproach [disgrace, shame] to any [group of] people."
"1. History is replete [filled] with illustrations of the truth in this proverb: nations are judged… nations rise and fall according to their works [actions, or things that they do].
"2. When sin, pride, corruption, immorality, greed, cruelty, and injustice prevail [become dominant, gain control, win]--eventually that nation falls… as [did] Rome, which crumbled from within.
"» Greece became proud of their science and art
"» Rome became proud of its conquests [victories]
"» Great Britain (an empire which once championed [supported, defended] the cause of Christ in missionary endeavors [efforts] around the world) has now turned its back on Christianity
"» The USA [United States of America] is not exempt from [or 'is also subject to'] this principle [fundamental or basic truth]. Those great world powers became corrupt from within and declined in significance [decreased in importance]. Sin became a reproach to those nations.
"» Can the USA be far behind?
"3. Israel is God's LIGHT to the world of this principle. When Israel followed God's Law, they [the people] were exalted. When they departed from it, they were defeated and enslaved by [their] enemies. Read the Old Testament, especially the book of Judges--this truth [of being exalted, or being defeated and enslaved, based upon their obedience go God's law] is repeated over and over again… as a constant object lesson to the nations."
____________________
This excerpt is from the Salem Bible Church commentary on sin:
"3. Sin brings reproach in the sight of God--and results in judgment. Consider some of the sins of OUR nation [the United States] in recent years.
"a. Immoral activities [that are] outlawed by the government are rampant [spreading rapidly, out of control] [and include]:
"» Kidnapping
"» Pedophiles [people who are sexually attracted to children]
"» Rapes
"» Violence and Murders
"» Drug and alcohol abuse
"» Political corruption--in both parties [Republican and Democrat]
"» These activities are carried out with increasing frequency. But at least they are illegal, and are unacceptable by our society.
"b. Immoral activities [that are] approved by the government are far worse for a nation [and include]:
"» Legalized abortion
"» Acceptance of homosexuality
"» Changing God's design for the family
"» Gay Marriage
"» Issues of medical ethics [obligations of doctors and healthcare organizations to patients] in our day
"» Legal prescription of drugs and legal alcohol abuse
"» State sponsored gambling
"» God designed human governments to condemn [disapprove of] such behavior, not to sponsor it… and certainly not to pay for it with tax dollars!
"» This is far worse. This brings shame and reproach to any nation.
"» And by the way, this is not just America… this kind of approval is world wide."
____________________
If you want to read one or both of the commentaries referred to above, here are the links:
-- "Righteousness Exalteth a Nation"
(www.salembible.org/proverbs-index/proverbs-14-index/proverbs-14_34a/)
-- "Sin is a Reproach to Any People"
(www.salembible.org/proverbs-index/proverbs-14-index/proverbs-14_34b/)
SEPTEMBER 13
Proverbs 13:5: "A righteous man [or 'a just, lawful person'] hateth [hates] lying: but a wicked man [or woman or child, especially one who repeatedly tells lies] is loathsome [detestable, disgusting], and cometh [comes] to shame [either by feeling ashamed (humiliated, embarrassed) or by acting in a shameful or disgraceful manner].
"There is no knowing the effects [results] of a lie even in this world. Said a lady, 'I told once for all the fashionable [popular] lie of having my servant announce at the door that I was not at home [when I really was at home]. At night my husband said, " Mrs. died to-day." It [that statement] went through me like cold steel. She [my friend] had made me promise that I would be at her bedside at the last hour [of her life], as she had something of great importance to disclose [reveal, make known, or 'tell me']. "And," said my husband, "she died in great distress [anxiety] to see you, having sent [for you] three times, only to learn [or, in this case, 'to be told'] that you were not at home." How I loathed [hated] myself! No more lies for me!'"
(Source: https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/eng/tbi/proverbs-13.html#verse-5, "Verse 5," "Lying hateful")
SEPTEMBER 12
Proverbs 12:25: "Heaviness [a consuming or controlling type of worry, fear, anxiety] in the heart [or mind] of man [mankind, or 'of a person'] maketh it [makes the heart] stoop [sink to a lower place; i.e., weighs it down, causing sadness, discouragement, and/or depression]: but a good [kind, compassionate, encouraging] word [or promise or message--that is read in the Bible or quoted from it, sung in a Christian song or hymn, spoken by a friend, relative, pastor, coworker, etc.] maketh it [the heart] glad."
If you want to read the commentary, here's the link: https://www.salembible.org/proverbs-index/proverbs-12-index/proverbs-12_25/.
SEPTEMBER 11
God Creates the Sun, Moon, and Stars
In Genesis 1:1, we're told that God created heaven and earth. The process of creation, including a day of rest, took a total of seven days. According to the Bible, this is what happened on Day 4:
Genesis 1:14-15: "And God said, Let there be lights [referring to the sun and moon] in the firmament of the heaven [or 'in the sky'--see note below*] to divide [separate] the day from the night; and let them [the sun and moon] be for signs [of good and bad weather, of time for planting and harvesting crops, etc.], and for seasons [of summer, winter, spring, and fall], and for days, and years: And let them [the sun and moon] be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so."
Genesis 1:16,17-18: "And God made two great lights; the greater light [the sun, which produces its own light and is bigger, brighter, and greater in intensity than the moon] to rule the day, and the lesser light [the moon, which reflects the light of the sun] to rule the night: he made the stars also. And God set [placed, put] them [all--sun, moon, and stars] in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth, And to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness: and God saw that it was good [or 'a good thing']."
Genesis 1:19: "And the evening and the morning were the fourth day [of creation]."
SEPTEMBER 10
This was King David's prayer to God:
Psalm 19:14: "Let the words of my mouth [everything that I say], and the meditation of my heart [all of my thoughts], be acceptable in thy [your] sight [or 'be pleasing to you'], O LORD, [because you are] my strength, and my redeemer [i.e., the one who has redeemed (rescued, delivered, saved) me from my bondage (slavery, subjection) to sin--see note below*]."
SEPTEMBER 9
This instruction from God was delivered by Moses to the people of Israel as part of Old Testament law:
Deuteronomy 22:5: "The woman shall not wear that which pertaineth [pertains] unto a man [or 'which is designed specifically for men'], neither shall a man put on a woman's garment [item of clothing designed specifically for women]: for all [people] that do so [cross-dress, or wear clothes meant for the opposite sex] are abomination [a hateful, detestable, disgusting thing] unto the LORD thy [your] God."
"This [cross-dressing] shall not be done ordinarily or unnecessarily, for in some cases it may be lawful, as to make an escape for one's life …"
(Source: https://biblehub.com/commentaries/poole/deuteronomy/22.htm, "Matthew Poole's Commentary," "Deuteronomy 22:5")
-- "What does the Bible say about cross-dressing / transvestism?"
(https://www.gotquestions.org/cross-dressing-transvestism.html)
-- "Should Christian women wear pants?"
(https://www.gotquestions.org/women-wear-pants.html)
SEPTEMBER 8
God Hates Idolatry
The following verse is part of what Moses told the Levites to say to the men of Israel. It's the first of a number of curses and confirms what was written by God in the Ten Commandments (i.e., Commandment #2, Exodus 20:4,5,6).
Deuteronomy 27:15: "Cursed [by God will] be the man [or person] that maketh [or 'who makes'] any graven or molten image [i.e., a statue or idol to be used as an object of worship--see note below*], [which is] an abomination unto the LORD [or 'something that God hates'], [and which is] the work of the hands of the craftsman, and [cursed is the man who] putteth it [puts it--the idol] in a secret place [where it can't be seen by others]. And all the people shall answer and say, Amen [or 'so be it,' meaning they understood and agreed with what had been said]."
"… A graven image is an image carved out of stone, wood, or metal. It could be a statue of a person or animal, or a relief carving [i.e., figures or patterns carved into a flat piece of wood] in a wall or pole. It is differentiated from a molten image, which is melted metal poured into a cast [or mold] …"
The article then goes into a detailed explanation of idolatry.
____________________
If you want to read more of the article, here's the link: https://www.gotquestions.org/graven-image.html.
SEPTEMBER 7
A Warning About Sexual Immorality
In the 7th chapter of Proverbs, King Solomon is telling his son to stay away from "strange women" (referring to sexually immoral women, commonly called prostitutes, harlots, whores, adulteresses, mistresses, etc.).
Regarding the sexually immoral woman, Solomon says:
Proverbs 7:25: "Let not thine [don't let your] heart decline to [turn aside to, lean toward] her ways, go not [don't go] astray in her paths [i.e., stay on the right path and don't follow hers]."
Proverbs 7:26: For she [the sexually immoral woman] hath [has] cast down many wounded [men, like soldiers on a battlefield]: yea [yes], many strong men have been slain [killed, destroyed] by her." [In other words, because of their involvement with sexually immoral women, many men have ruined their reputations and been afflicted with disease, guilt, shame, etc. Examples from the Bible of men who were 'wounded' or 'slain' by sexually immoral women include King David, King Solomon, and Samson.]
Proverbs 7:27: "Her [the sexually immoral woman's] house is the way to hell, going down to the chambers [rooms] of death."
____________________
Today's verses (Proverbs 7:25-27) are addressed near the end of Pastor Delany's commentary, as follows, under the heading "The Moral of the Story":
"1. Now Solomon asks his son to pay attention. He is about to give the moral of the story just told. (vs. 24) [Proverbs 7:24]
"2. The moral of the story: (vs. 25) [Proverbs 7:25]
"a. Don't let your heart (mind; inner man) be drawn in by her [the sexually immoral woman]
"b. Keep your body out of her paths! Stay out of her neighborhood! Run away! If you see her coming, head in the other direction.
"c. Stay away mentally and physically!
"• Don't fill your mind and heart with her ways--through bad literature… pornography… TV… soap operas… movies…
"• Avoid places where you are likely to run into such temptation.
"• Keep your heart with all diligence… keep it pure… clean…
"• Keep your body away from anything and everything that will stir up evil in your heart--TV, movies, videos, literature, impure web sites… theatres… shows, beaches, clubs, parties--anything that will stir up your flesh.
"3. Reasons to stay away:
"a. She (the immoral woman) has not only wounded a few, but MANY men have been wounded by her!
"• Many STRONG men (physically) have been slain [killed or destroyed] by her!
"• This ONE sin [adultery] has been the ruin of MANY people… many households… many families… many men and women, young and old.
"• Strong men--like [King] Solomon himself--have been completely undone by this sin… their lives ruined… their testimony for the Lord ruined… their ministries ruined…
"• Solomon wants to warn his son that if MANY STRONG men have been ruined by this sin--don't be so presumptuous [overconfident] to think it won't harm you!
"b. Her house is the way to death and hell… (vs. 27) [Proverbs 7:27]
"• Death--her husband; disease; the stress of a double life; drugs and alcohol which often accompany such behavior…
"4. Moral purity… faithfulness to one's marriage partner is the way of life and peace. Adultery is the way of death and guilt. Choose life!"
If you want to read more of Pastor Delany's commentary, here's the link: https://www.salembible.org/proverbs-index/proverbs-7-index/proverbs-7_7-27/.
SEPTEMBER 6
Lessons From the Ant (for Lazy People)
Proverbs 6:6-8: "Go to [observe, watch] the ant, thou sluggard [you lazy person]; consider her ways [learn from the ant], and be wise: Which [referring to the ant,] having no guide, overseer [supervisor], or ruler [or 'without having someone to tell her what to do' (i.e., doing things by instinct)], Provideth [provides] her meat [or 'searches for food'] in the summer, and gathereth [gathers] her food in the [time of] harvest."
Proverbs 6:9: "How long wilt thou [will you] sleep, O sluggard [lazy person]? when wilt thou [will you] arise out of thy [your] sleep [or 'when will you wake up and get up']? "
Proverbs 6:10-11: "Yet a little sleep, a little slumber [a period of light sleep (dozing) or inactivity], a little folding of the hands [bringing the hands together] to sleep: So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth [or 'one who travels,' meaning step by step, or gradually], and thy want [your inability to have--or buy--the things that you want or need] [shall come suddenly and unexpectedly,] as an armed man [does, or as when a robber attacks a defenseless person and steals his or her possessions]."
____________________
In Proverbs 6:6-8 of Pastor Delany's commentary, we learn that ants are good examples for us to follow because:
-- They [the ants] are self-motivated [or do things without being told].
-- They are diligent (conscientious) and hard-working.
-- They don't pretend to be busy when they really aren't [busy].
-- The don't procrastinate [put things off] or make excuses for not doing things (such as 'it's too hot')
-- They don't put pleasure above work.
-- They make good use of opportunities to work.
-- They store things up for the future.
____________________
This is what the Proverbs 6:9 commentary says about the dangers of laziness. To the question "How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard?" the pastor responds as follows:
"3. HOW LONG is a good question! Every once in a while, it might do us all good to chart out [figure out, determine] what we do with our time…
"• How long do we sleep?
"• How long do we lie on the couch and vegetate [relax, do nothing]?
"• How long do we sit in front of the TV or computer?
"• How long do we spend reading the Word [i.e., God's word, the Bible]? [How much time do we spend] In prayer?
"• After making a chart of how our time is spent, we might see some areas that need prioritizing [putting in order of importance]… rearranging…
"4. WHEN is a good question too. 'When will you arise [get up]?'
"a. The lazy man is challenged to consider how long he sleeps.
"b. Then he is challenged to DO something about it--get up!
"c. When? When will you get up? When will you change your bad habits?
"d. If we are wasting time, we too should be challenged: when are you going to do something about it? When are you going to change?
"e. Arising is the answer to sleeping too much--just get up!
"f. Notice how simple God's answer to this lazy man's problem is: Arise! Get up! You don't need a 12 step program [like Alcoholics Anonymous uses] to deprogram yourself from old habits… just obey [the Bible:]… arise…"
____________________
If you want to read one or both of Pastor Delany's commentaries on today's verses, here are the links:
-- Proverbs 6:6-8: "Go to the Ant"
(https://www.salembible.org/proverbs-index/proverbs-6-index/proverbs-6_6-8/)
-- Proverbs 6:9-11: "How Long Wilt Thou Sleep?"
(https://www.salembible.org/proverbs-index/proverbs-6-index/proverbs-6_9-11/)
-- "What does the Bible say about laziness?"
(https://www.gotquestions.org/laziness-Bible.html)
-- "What is a sluggard?"
(https://www.gotquestions.org/Proverbs-sluggard.html)
SEPTEMBER 3-5
Debts and Charity
Proverbs 3:27: "Withhold not good [things, or 'don't withhold anything good,' such as money or help] from them to whom it is due [e.g., needy people, creditors, etc.], when it is in the power of thine [your] hand [or 'when you have the ability'] to do it [i.e., offer assistance or pay your debts]."
Proverbs 3:28: "Say not [don't say] unto thy [your] neighbour [or your friend, relative, creditor, etc.], Go [away], and come [back] again, and to morrow I will give [it to you]; when thou hast it by thee [or 'when you already have what they want or need and can give it to them right now']."
____________________
The pastor's commentary on the above verses is excellent and includes many examples of how and why people get into debt and what they should and shouldn't do about it. It shows how we can avoid taking on too much debt and becoming overwhelmed by it, and it also tells why some people refuse to pay what they owe. At the end of the commentary, we learn that these verses also teach us that we should be kind to others.
____________________
Here are some excerpts from the commentary:
From the introduction:
"3. To whom would our money be due?
"a. If we borrow money from another person…
"b. If we borrow money from a bank or finance company…
"c. If we borrow someone else's property (car; snow blower; bicycle; stereo)
"d. If we owe someone a service--by bartering [exchanging, trading] your time of service for money or for property--or even someone's else's service. (the plumber who promises to fix the carpenter's leaky sink if the carpenter promises to fix his leaky roof!)
"e. If we purchase items with a credit card…
"f. If we hire someone to do a job, and they do the job…
"g. If we live in a country, enjoy its services, then we owe taxes…
"h. If we have been saved and appreciate God's grace, we are responsible to give to the Lord's work [for example, to churches or missionaries or Christian organizations] … it is due…
"i. If we borrow money, time, or service, we have become a debtor to that person or company or country."
From the "Withhold Not Good" Section:
"5. Before we ever begin a project (building a house; buying a car; etc) we are to sit down and count the cost whether we are able to finish the project--and pay for it! (Luke 14:28-30)
"a. The point is that we are NOT to get in over our heads.
"b. We are NOT to borrow more than we can pay back.
"c. We are NOT to live beyond our means.
"d. We are NOT to involve ourselves in a commitment we are not able to finish.
"e. Doing our homework AHEAD of time will prevent us from making this mistake. It will keep us out of that awkward position of owing… being in debt… and finding ourselves unable to pay…
"6. However, the passage in Proverbs seems to be warning about something even worse. The warning is about REFUSING to pay money owed, even when we have it!"
"b. We too can commit this kind of sin.
"• In running a business, we have no right to withhold payment to our creditors… or to companies that have supplied us with goods or services.
"• In running a household, we have no right to hire servicemen [to] come and fix our home or car, if we know we can't pay them… and we are going to put off payment when the bill comes in…
"• We might be mad at a company/doctor/serviceman and refuse to pay.
"• We can withhold good because of a grudge [feeling of resentment]; anger; procrastination; laziness; revenge;--all of which are wrong and [are] forbidden by this [Bible] passage."
From the "When it is in the power of thy hand to do it" section:
"3. There are times when we may NOT have the power or ability to pay off a loan or a bill.
"a. A man may begin a project, count the cost, and crunch [analyze] all the numbers and the project may seem quite do-able.
"b. But the economy could turn sour [or get worse, as in a recession]--suddenly and unexpectedly… any number of things could happen.
"c. We might find ourselves without power or ability to pay. That is not the point of this passage.
"d. This passage speaks of someone who is ABLE to pay but refuses. [Examples include:]
"• The McCoys and the Joneses having a feud [a prolonged, bitter quarrel or fight]…
"• The man who piles up bills and doesn't pay them, in order to save money for his vacation…
"• The man who promised to do a good deed for someone, and is able to do so, but keeps putting it off… procrastination."
From the "Applications" section:
"1. While this text [referring to the above verses] seems to be speaking specifically of paying back something that is owed to another, there are many applications that can be made about our responsibility to do GOOD unto others.
"2. In principle, this passage is similar to James 2:15-16
"a. In this text, nothing is actually OWED to the poor man.
"b. But there is a moral obligation to help.
"c. If a brother [a fellow Christian] is destitute (starving; naked; etc)--drastic circumstances--we [Christians] are morally obligated to help.
"d. This does not refer to the brother who comes to borrow money for a new leather coat or one who needs money to eat at [a restaurant called] the Tavern on the Green [both of which things are wants, not needs].
"e. It speaks of a brother who is destitute [penniless, lacking the basic necessities of life]. This is more like the situation of the Good Samaritan who found a man lying destitute on the side of the road.
"f. Vs.16 [James 2:16]-- saying, "Depart, be warmed and filled" is sending him away without helping. You are withholding good! It is just like saying, "Go and come again; tomorrow I will give."
"g. If we can help a brother or sister in Christ [a fellow Christian], we should [do so].
"• We may be used at times.
"• There will always be freeloaders who take advantage of Christian generosity.
"• But over all, if we can help, we should.
"• If it is within our ability and power--don't withhold.
"2. Gal. 6:10 -- as we have opportunity, let us do good to all men, especially to those of the household of faith [meaning other Christians].
"a. As we have opportunity--speaks of a person who has the power or ability to help.
"b. We [Christians] have been called [by God] to do GOOD works… we are to walk in the good works that God has ordained for us. (Eph. 2:8-10) This is the natural FRUIT [result] of salvation, never the root [foundation, basis]!
"c. When opportunity arises to do good, DO it. Don't withhold it.
"d. The question always arises--where do we draw the line?
"• If we give money away, there will be a line of people at our door every day!
"• I am ABLE to work every night--helping out a different [Christian] brother every night of the week.
"• But we also have to prioritize the use of our time.
"• We also have to consider other things: our health; our family; responsibilities; our limits.
"• We ARE to help and not to withhold help… but do it WISELY! Certainly the book of Proverbs while promoting KINDNESS also is promoting WISDOM in how we live our lives!
"3. Titus 3:1 -- We are to be READY to every good work.
"a. That means we are NOT to put it off till mañana [tomorrow]!
"b. Ready = ready; prepared; even eager [enthusiastic]
"c. We shouldn't be withholding good from others. It shouldn't take a crowbar [a steel bar used as a lever] to get us to do good to others.
"d. Good should naturally FLOW out of one who is [born again, or] saved by grace [in other words, someone who is a Christian]!"
If you want to read the rest of the commentary, here's the link: https://www.salembible.org/proverbs-index/proverbs-3-index/proverbs-3_27-28/.
SEPTEMBER 2
More Soul Winners Needed!
Matthew 9:35: "And Jesus went about [traveled to] all [of] the cities and villages [of Galilee], teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel [good news] of the kingdom [of God; i.e., heaven], and healing every sickness and every disease among the people.
Matthew 9:36: "But when he [Jesus] saw the multitudes [crowds--large numbers of people who had followed him], he was moved with compassion on [sympathy, pity, and concern for] them, because they fainted [not only from weakness, exhaustion, hunger, thirst, etc., but also from spiritual burdens], and were scattered abroad [spread out over a large area], as [like, similar to] sheep having no shepherd."
Matthew 9:37-38: "Then saith [said] he [Jesus] unto his disciples, The harvest [referring to people seeking spiritual guidance and salvation] truly is plenteous [abundant, plentiful], but the labourers are few [in number]; Pray ye [you] therefore [to] the Lord of the harvest [God], that he will send forth labourers [Christian workers, missionaries, soul winners, etc.] into his harvest [to teach those people about the Bible and show them how to be saved]."
SEPTEMBER 1
Psalm 118:24: "This is the day which the LORD [God] hath [has] made; we will rejoice and be glad in it."
But no matter who we are or what we're doing, we should always be thankful for every day that is given to us by God, especially Sunday (also known as the "Lord's day," when Christians gather together at church to worship) and Easter (when we celebrate the resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ).
In a letter to the churches in Galatia, the apostle Paul wrote:
Galatians 6:9: "And let us not be weary in well doing [meaning we shouldn't get tired of doing good things]: for [because] in due season [at the proper time, either in this world, or in heaven (at the Judgment Seat of Christ), or in this world and also in heaven] we [born-again Christians] shall reap [rewards, or 'we shall be rewarded or repaid for our good deeds, by others and/or by God'], if we faint not [or 'if we don't give up and stop doing good things before then']."
_______________
Although the above verse was written to Christians, Paul's advice to "not be weary in well doing" is a good rule for everyone--believers and unbelievers alike--to follow.____________________
Note: Believers and unbelievers are described in the following articles:
-- "What is a believer?"
(https://www.gotquestions.org/what-is-a-believer.html)
-- "What exactly is an unbeliever?"
(https://www.gotquestions.org/unbeliever.html)
* * * * *
GotQuestions.org also has an article entitled "What does it mean to not grow weary in doing good (Galatians 6:9)?" If you want to read it, here's the link: https://www.gotquestions.org/not-grow-weary-doing-good.html.SEPTEMBER 26
In this verse, God is encouraging his prophet Jeremiah, who was in prison, to pray:
Jeremiah 33:3: "Call unto me [God--through prayer], and I will answer thee [you], and [will] shew thee [show, reveal, or make known to you] great and mighty things [which are hidden and], which thou [you] knowest not [do not know]."
_______________
Like Jeremiah, born-again Christians are never alone. Whenever we need companionship, help concerning current events, and guidance concerning future events, we should "seek God's face" in prayer (see note below*).* * * * *
*GotQuestions.org has an article that answers the question "What does it mean to seek God's face?" If you want to read it, here's the link: https://www.gotquestions.org/seek-Gods-face.html.SEPTEMBER 25
Today's verse tells why we can trust in God and his word:
Psalm 12:6: "The words of the LORD [as recorded in the Bible] are pure words [i.e., they are true (not mixed with any falsehood) and can be trusted, or relied upon]: [God's words are] as [pure as] silver [which has been] tried [refined repeatedly] in a furnace of earth [or a furnace that is on or in the earth--see note below*], [and] purified seven times [so that they are free from error and corruption]."
_______________
*Regarding the furnace of earth referred to above, Albert Barnes said:"As silver tried in a furnace of earth - The word here rendered [translated as] 'furnace' properly means a workshop. Perhaps it corresponds nearly with our word 'laboratory,' as the term is now used by chemists. It evidently refers to some place where the metal was tried and purified. The words rendered 'of earth' literally mean 'on the earth,' or 'in the earth?' The language does not mean that the 'furnace' was 'made' of [or out of, or from] earth, as would seem to be implied in our version, but that the 'furnace' or laboratory was erected [constructed, set up] on the earth, or in the earth. It may refer to something like a crucible [a ceramic or metal container] placed on the ground, around which a fire of intense [extreme] heat could be made. It is probable that some such structure would be made near the mines where ore [a metal-bearing mineral or rock] was obtained, and that the ore would be thus purified from dross [waste or impure matter] before it was removed."
(Source: https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/bnb/psalms-12.html, "Verse 6")
SEPTEMBER 24
Romans 5:8: "But God commendeth [has expressed, shown, proven, given clear evidence of] his love toward us [everyone in the world], in that, while we were yet [still] sinners, Christ [Jesus] died [on the cross] for us [i.e., to pay for our sins]."
Romans 5:9: "Much more then, being now justified [pardoned, accepted as righteous by God] by his [Jesus'] blood [see note below*], we shall be saved from [God's] wrath [anger] [and from punishment for sin in the flames of hell] through him [or 'through Jesus' death']."
_______________
If you want to be saved from hell but don't know what to do, there are detailed instructions in the gospel tracts that I wrote. You'll find them here: https://www.mansioninheaven.com/PrintableGospelTracts.html.* * * * *
*For an explanation of the importance and power of Jesus' blood, read "What is the meaning of the blood of Christ?" Here's the link: https://www.gotquestions.org/blood-of-Christ.html.SEPTEMBER 22-23
Proverbs 22:13: "The slothful [lazy] man [person] saith [says], There is a lion without [or 'outside'], I shall be slain [killed] in the streets."
_______________
According to Pastor Jim Delany of Salem Bible Church, the subject of this verse is 'excuses for laziness.' In this case, the man says he can't go to work because he might be eaten by a lion.____________________
In his commentary on this verse, Pastor Delany says that laziness is more than a personality trait, cultural issue, or natural disposition [usual way of feeling or behaving]--it's a moral failure, a SIN--and in paragraph 7, he lists what Solomon said about laziness in the book of Proverbs:
"a. Prov. 18:9 -- He [the 'slothful man,' or lazy person] is a great waster of that which God has given him. (time; talents; intellect [intelligence]; etc.)"
"b. Prov. 26:16 -- They [lazy people] often think themselves to be smarter than everyone else."
"c. Prov. 10:26 -- He [the lazy person] is an irritant to those who expect him to work."
"d. Prov. 10:4 -- He will become poor."
"e. Prov. 21:25 - he refuses to labor [or 'do any work']!"
"f. Prov. 20:13 -- He may not have enough food to provide for himself or his family."
"g. Prov. 12:24 -- He will find himself living under bondage--to all of his debt [or 'his bills']."
"h. Prov. 15:19 -- His life is like a hedge of thorns."
"i. Prov. 21:25-26 -- It is a miserable life of desiring to have what others have, but NOT having [it or them]…"
"j. Prov. 26:14 -- And he has no peace of mind."
In the commentary, each of the previous statements is followed by specific examples.
____________________
The next section of the commentary talks specifically about excuses that people give for not doing something (like emloyees not going to work or doing poor-quality work, children not doing their homework, wives neglecting household chores, husbands allowing their houses to fall into disrepair, Christians not going to church or reading their Bibles, etc.).
Some people are lazy, but most are not. Here is the story of what one exceptional person with the right attitude and work ethic can do:
"4. George Washington Carver said, 'Ninety-nine percent of failures come from people who have the habit of making excuses.'
"a. Carver was no stranger to adversity [difficulties, misfortune, hardship] and could have easily made excuses for not succeeding. But that wasn't his way.
"b. Despite being born into slavery, he rose above his circumstances. He earned a B.S. [Bachelor of Science degree] and then an M.S. [Master of Science degree] in agriculture from Iowa State College, and he dedicated himself to teaching poor African-American farmers.
"c. He developed an extension program at Alabama's Tuskegee Institute to take the classroom to the people in the South, teaching agriculture methods and home economics.
"d. And his research resulted in the development of hundreds of products made from crops such as peanuts and sweet potatoes. He did all that despite working with limited resources and opportunities because of segregation. Where others might have offered excuses, Carver achieved excellence."
____________________
If you want to read the commentary, here's the link: https://www.salembible.org/proverbs-22-index/proverbs-22_13/.
SEPTEMBER 21
God Doesn't Judge People by Their Looks
The following event took place after God told his prophet Samuel to go to Bethlehem, make a sacrifice to him (God), and anoint a new king for Israel. We find out later in this chapter that God's choice for king was Jesse's youngest son, David.
1 Samuel 16:6: "And it came to pass, when they [Jesse and seven of his eight sons] were come [or 'had arrived'] [to witness the sacrifice], that he [Samuel] looked on Eliab [Jesse's oldest son], and said, Surely the LORD'S anointed [i.e., God's choice for king, to replace Saul, who (as we learn in 1 Samuel 9:2) was a very tall man] is before him [God, … meaning that Eliab was standing near the altar, where God was present]."
1 Samuel 16:7: "But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on [don't look at, or pay attention to] his [Eliab's] countenance [appearance; i.e., whether he was good-looking or not], or on the height of his stature [how tall he was]; because I have refused [rejected] him [as my choice for king]: for [because] the LORD seeth not [does not see] as [like] man [mankind, human beings, people] seeth; for man looketh [looks] on the outward appearance [of a person], but the LORD looketh on the heart [meaning what that person is like inside]."
_______________
God judges people by their hearts. not their appearance, and so should we.* * * * *
The phrase man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart in 1 Samuel 16:7 reminds me of the part of Martin Luther King's famous "I Have a Dream" speech in which he said:"I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character."
It sounds like Dr. King wanted us to do what God does: judge people by their hearts ("the content of their character") rather than by how they look.
____________________
The meaning of Dr. King's statement is explained in detail in an article that Gregg Henriques, Ph.D., posted to his blog in 2016. In it, he wrote:
"Let's take a minute and reflect on what Martin Luther King meant when he talked about the content of character. This refers to the core ethical values of honesty and integrity, respecting others, taking responsibility for one's actions, being fair and just, and being someone who promotes love and compassion in others. We can also think about the content of character in terms of core virtues [character traits that define moral goodness] and the extent to which one [or 'a person'] embodies wisdom, humility, courage, justice, temperance [self-control], and the value of human dignity."
____________________
(Source for above quotes by Drs. King and Henriques: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/theory-knowledge/201609/the-content-our-character)
* * * * *
The following articles give some background information about the man named Jesse and what it meant for his son David to be anointed as king:-- "Who was Jesse in the Bible?"
(https://www.gotquestions.org/Jesse-in-the-Bible.html)
-- "What is the anointing?"
(https://www.gotquestions.org/anointed.html)
SEPTEMBER 19-20
Proverbs 19:22: "The desire [or 'desirable quality'] of a man [or woman or child] is his [or her] kindness: and a poor man [person] is better than a liar."
_______________
In his commentary on the above verse, Pastor Delany of Salem Bible Church says, "People are attracted to people who show love, kindness, mercy, and devotion to others," and even though it's an awful thing to be poor, hungry, homeless, and/or unable to feed your kids, it's even worse to be a liar, especially like the one in the following quote, which was taken from paragraph 1f of the "poor man" section of the commentary:"f. The liar stands in stark [sharp, complete] contrast to the man who is KIND.
"• The first man [the kind one] demonstrates [shows] his loyalty through deeds [acts] of kindness and mercy.
"• The liar perhaps PROMISES to help… he promises to demonstrate kindness… but he was lying. He had no intention of helping.
"• Or perhaps he [the liar] denies [refuses to admit] that he is ABLE to help, when he is in fact very able [to help]… but [is] unwilling [to do so]."
If you want to read more of the pastor's commentary, here's the link: https://www.salembible.org/proverbs-index/proverbs-19-index/proverbs-19_22/.
SEPTEMBER 18
Proverbs 18:6: "A fool's lips enter into contention [a foolish person who speaks his (or her) mind will cause controversy and become involved in arguments and disagreements], and his [or her] mouth calleth [calls] for strokes [punches or blows, which means that the fool's words may also start a fight (either accidentally or on purpose), resulting in trouble not only for others but also for the fool]."
_______________
Salem Bible Church has a good commentary on this verse.____________________
In the conclusion, it says, "If you use your tongue like a sword and go around lashing out at people, eventually, you're going to have to pay a price."
____________________
The commentary also says:"If you use your tongue to stir up the pot, eventually, you are going to get a whipping." "Depending on the circles you are traveling in, that 'whipping' could mean losing your job; it could mean losing your front teeth; a law suit; a gangster style assassination; loss of friends; getting beat up out of revenge… or publicly castigated [reprimanded, criticized severely] on the six o'clock news.'"
____________________
If you want to read the commentary, here's the link: https://www.salembible.org/proverbs-index/proverbs-18-index/proverbs-18_6/.
SEPTEMBER 17
How Christians Should Respond When They Are Treated Unkindly
With these verses, in a letter to born-again Christians, the apostle Peter teaches us about vengeance [revenge]:
1 Peter 2:18: "Servants [people who are hired to serve others, such as domestic (household) help], be subject [in subjection, or obedient] to your masters [employers, people in charge] with all fear [by showing them proper reverence (respect)]; [do that] not only to the good [good-natured, kind, merciful] and gentle [masters], but also to the froward [ones--those who are wicked and unjust]."
1 Peter 2:19: "For this is thankworthy [acceptable to God], if a man [or woman or child] for conscience toward God [or 'who is acting according to his (or her) conscience concerning the things of God' and has not done anything bad] endure[s] grief [trouble, annoyance, abuse], suffering wrongfully [unjustly]."
1 Peter 2:20: "For what glory [praise, honor, credit] is it, if, when ye be [when you are] buffeted [treated roughly, punished] for your faults [i.e., the bad things that you have said or done], ye [you] shall take it patiently [bravely, calmly, without resisting or complaining]? but if, when ye do well [when you do good, do right, don't do anything wrong], and suffer [reproach and persecution] for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God."
1 Peter 2:21: "For even hereunto [even to this, referring to a state of suffering, as a follower of Jesus Christ, per 2 Timothy 3:12] were ye [you, born-again Christians] called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow [in] his [Jesus'] [foot]steps [meaning we should imitate him, or copy his actions]:"
1 Peter 2:22,23: "Who [referring to Jesus] did no[t] sin [or 'never sinned'], neither was guile [deceit, hypocrisy, insincerity] found in his mouth: Who [i.e., Jesus], when he was reviled [insulted by others], reviled not again [did not insult them back]; when he suffered [injustice, beatings, etc.], he threatened not [meaning he did not threaten punishment or vengeance]; but committed himself to him [the Person] that judgeth [judges] righteously [honestly, fairly, justly] [meaning he turned everything over to God]:"
_______________
We deserve to be punished for bad things that we do or have done, but when we are punished for no good reason (or through no fault of our own) and we don't fight back, this is pleasing to God. Following Jesus' example, we must let God take care of the problem.* * * * *
At the end of his commentary on 1 Peter 2:18, Mark Dunagan wrote this (please note that I started each item on a separate line to make the list easier to read):"… POINTS TO NOTE:
"1. Our obligation to our duties, work, job, do not depend upon the character of the person in charge. At times people try to justify [make excuses for] their laziness, or uncooperative attitude, because their boss or the company is so unfair.
"2. Suffering injustice doesn't give the Christian a right to act in an unjust manner, i.e. steal time or things from the company, become less then earnest [serious and determined] in your work, etc…
"3. The Christian must always remember that the Master they are always serving in whatever economic situation they find themselves, is Christ (Ephesians 6:5-6). 'Christianity introduced a new attitude to work. It is the conviction of the New Testament that all work must be done for Jesus Christ….work is not done (primarily) for personal prestige [respect and admiration]…to make so much money…It is, of course, true that a man must work in order to earn a wage [paycheck], and he must work to satisfy a master [employer, boss]; but beyond that there is for the Christian the conviction that his work must be done well enough to take it and to show it to God without shame' …"
(Source: https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/eng/dun/1-peter-2.html, "Verse 18")
* * * * *
In his commentary on 1 Peter 2:23, John Gill wrote:"Who when he was reviled, reviled not again,.... When he [Jesus] was reproached as [or accused of being] a glutton [a person who eats too much], a winebibber [a person who drinks too much], a friend of publicans [tax collectors] and sinners, all the reply he made was, that Wisdom is justified of her children; and when he was charged with casting out devils by Beelzebub [Satan], the prince of devils, he defended himself, not with bad language, but with strong reasonings; and when he was said to be a Samaritan [a half-breed--see note below*], and had a devil, his only answer was, that he had not [did not have] [a devil], that he honoured his Father [God], and they dishonoured him; and when he was reviled [insulted] on the cross, by those that passed by, by the chief priests, and Scribes, and the thieves that were crucified with him, he made no return [or 'did not respond'], he opened not [or 'did not open'] his mouth [to speak, meaning he didn't say anything at all], and much less in a recriminating way [i.e., by making retaliatory accusations, or accusing them of the same thing that they accused him of],
"When he suffered he threatened not; when he [Jesus] endured buffetings [being hit or punched repeatedly], and scourgings [beatings with a whip] in his body, when the officers in the palace of the high priests spit in his face, buffeted him, and smote [hit] him with the palms of their hands, and bid him prophesy who smote him [or 'asked him to tell them who hit him'], all which were very provoking; yet he said not one word to them, much less threatened them with what he would do to them for such usage another day, when he would let them know, with vengeance, who it was that smote him; no, he took all [of that abuse] patiently from them, and from Pilate, and the Roman soldiers, when scourged by them; he gave his back to the smiters [people who beat him], and his cheeks to them that plucked off [pulled out] the hair [of his beard]; and when he suffered crucifixion, and was put to such distressing pains and agonies, he did not threaten his crucifiers with a future judgment, when he would take vengeance, and execute his wrath [anger] upon them, but prays to his Father [in heaven--God] for the forgiveness of their sins: and, as it follows,
but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously; he [Jesus] commended [entrusted] his Spirit, or soul, to God his Father, and committed his cause to him, to vindicate it [or 'to acquit or clear him'] in what way he should think fit, who he knew was the Judge of all the earth, that would do right … and which is an example, and an instruction to the saints [Christians] to do so likewise; not to render railing for railing [or give back reviling for reviling], or to seek revenge, but to leave their cause with their God, who will, in his own time, avenge [pay someone back for] the wrongs and injuries done them …"
(Source: https://www.studylight.org/commentary/1-peter/2-23.html, "Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible ")
* * * * *
*According to GotQuestions.org:"The historian Josephus and Jewish tradition trace the origin of the Samaritans to the captivity of the northern kingdom under Assyria in 721 BC. Jews of the northern kingdom intermarried with Assyrians after the captivity and produced the half-Jewish, half-Gentile Samaritan race. When the Jews accused Jesus of being a 'Samaritan' in John 8:48, they were rudely suggesting that He was a half-breed, born of an unfaithful mother."
The article entitled "What is a Samaritan?" includes the above quote and other interesting information about Samaritans. If you want to read it, here's the link: https://www.gotquestions.org/what-is-a-Samaritan.html.
SEPTEMBER 15-16
Proverbs 15:8: "The sacrifice of the wicked [person, such as an offering that is given or a religious thing that is done by an unsaved person or a born-again Christian whose heart is not right with God and/or other people] is an abomination [a disgusting or repulsive thing] to the LORD: but the prayer of the upright [person, referring to someone who is saved and tries to live his or her life in a way that is acceptable and pleasing to God] is his [God's] delight."
_______________
Salem Bible Church has two commentaries on this verse, entitled "Sacrifice and Prayer" and "The Prayer of the Upright." Here are some highlights from the second one ("The Prayer of the Upright"), from the section entitled "Abomination Contrasted to Delight":Regarding Sacrifices:
"God knows what's going on in the [person's] mind as the sacrifice is offered."
"The wicked [person's] mind can devise all kinds of reasons to offer sacrifice to God: an attempt to atone [make up] for our sin; to restore fellowship [with God] = a lack of confidence in the blood of Christ [to pay for our sins]; a cloak [cover] for maliciousness [the desire to harm someone]; pretense [deceiving people on purpose]; pride; showmanship [skill at entertaining]; to be seen of men [or 'people']…"
Regarding Prayer:
"God is not impressed with a room full of people here [at Salem Bible Church] at our prayer meetings [or at any other church's prayer meetings]… if we are harboring [hiding] SIN in our hearts at the same time [that] we come to the throne of grace [or 'to God'] in prayer!"
"If we behave in a wicked way--even our prayers are an abomination to God."
"It is not that God is unable to hear the prayers of the wicked, or that He is ignorant [unaware] of what they are saying in their prayers. He knows their hearts."
"It is that God CHOOSES not to hear them [the 'wicked' people]… BECAUSE He knows their heart!"
____________________
If you want to read one or both of the above-mentioned commentaries, here are the links:
-- "Sacrifice and Prayer"
(https://www.salembible.org/proverbs-index/proverbs-15-index/proverbs-15_8a/)
-- "The Prayer of the Upright"
(https://www.salembible.org/proverbs-index/proverbs-15-index/proverbs-15_8b/)
SEPTEMBER 14
Proverbs 14:34: "Righteousness [behavior that is morally justifiable or right] exalteth [exalts, lifts up, brings honor to] a nation: but sin is a reproach [disgrace, shame] to any [group of] people."
_______________
Salem Bible Church has two commentaries on this verse, both of which end with the following conclusions:"1. History is replete [filled] with illustrations of the truth in this proverb: nations are judged… nations rise and fall according to their works [actions, or things that they do].
"2. When sin, pride, corruption, immorality, greed, cruelty, and injustice prevail [become dominant, gain control, win]--eventually that nation falls… as [did] Rome, which crumbled from within.
"» Greece became proud of their science and art
"» Rome became proud of its conquests [victories]
"» Great Britain (an empire which once championed [supported, defended] the cause of Christ in missionary endeavors [efforts] around the world) has now turned its back on Christianity
"» The USA [United States of America] is not exempt from [or 'is also subject to'] this principle [fundamental or basic truth]. Those great world powers became corrupt from within and declined in significance [decreased in importance]. Sin became a reproach to those nations.
"» Can the USA be far behind?
"3. Israel is God's LIGHT to the world of this principle. When Israel followed God's Law, they [the people] were exalted. When they departed from it, they were defeated and enslaved by [their] enemies. Read the Old Testament, especially the book of Judges--this truth [of being exalted, or being defeated and enslaved, based upon their obedience go God's law] is repeated over and over again… as a constant object lesson to the nations."
____________________
This excerpt is from the Salem Bible Church commentary on sin:
"3. Sin brings reproach in the sight of God--and results in judgment. Consider some of the sins of OUR nation [the United States] in recent years.
"a. Immoral activities [that are] outlawed by the government are rampant [spreading rapidly, out of control] [and include]:
"» Kidnapping
"» Pedophiles [people who are sexually attracted to children]
"» Rapes
"» Violence and Murders
"» Drug and alcohol abuse
"» Political corruption--in both parties [Republican and Democrat]
"» These activities are carried out with increasing frequency. But at least they are illegal, and are unacceptable by our society.
"b. Immoral activities [that are] approved by the government are far worse for a nation [and include]:
"» Legalized abortion
"» Acceptance of homosexuality
"» Changing God's design for the family
"» Gay Marriage
"» Issues of medical ethics [obligations of doctors and healthcare organizations to patients] in our day
"» Legal prescription of drugs and legal alcohol abuse
"» State sponsored gambling
"» God designed human governments to condemn [disapprove of] such behavior, not to sponsor it… and certainly not to pay for it with tax dollars!
"» This is far worse. This brings shame and reproach to any nation.
"» And by the way, this is not just America… this kind of approval is world wide."
____________________
If you want to read one or both of the commentaries referred to above, here are the links:
-- "Righteousness Exalteth a Nation"
(www.salembible.org/proverbs-index/proverbs-14-index/proverbs-14_34a/)
-- "Sin is a Reproach to Any People"
(www.salembible.org/proverbs-index/proverbs-14-index/proverbs-14_34b/)
SEPTEMBER 13
Proverbs 13:5: "A righteous man [or 'a just, lawful person'] hateth [hates] lying: but a wicked man [or woman or child, especially one who repeatedly tells lies] is loathsome [detestable, disgusting], and cometh [comes] to shame [either by feeling ashamed (humiliated, embarrassed) or by acting in a shameful or disgraceful manner].
_______________
Here's a good illustration from "The Biblical Illustrator" of the consequences of lying:"There is no knowing the effects [results] of a lie even in this world. Said a lady, 'I told once for all the fashionable [popular] lie of having my servant announce at the door that I was not at home [when I really was at home]. At night my husband said, " Mrs. died to-day." It [that statement] went through me like cold steel. She [my friend] had made me promise that I would be at her bedside at the last hour [of her life], as she had something of great importance to disclose [reveal, make known, or 'tell me']. "And," said my husband, "she died in great distress [anxiety] to see you, having sent [for you] three times, only to learn [or, in this case, 'to be told'] that you were not at home." How I loathed [hated] myself! No more lies for me!'"
(Source: https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/eng/tbi/proverbs-13.html#verse-5, "Verse 5," "Lying hateful")
* * * * *
Note: There is no commentary for this verse on the Salem Bible Church website.SEPTEMBER 12
Proverbs 12:25: "Heaviness [a consuming or controlling type of worry, fear, anxiety] in the heart [or mind] of man [mankind, or 'of a person'] maketh it [makes the heart] stoop [sink to a lower place; i.e., weighs it down, causing sadness, discouragement, and/or depression]: but a good [kind, compassionate, encouraging] word [or promise or message--that is read in the Bible or quoted from it, sung in a Christian song or hymn, spoken by a friend, relative, pastor, coworker, etc.] maketh it [the heart] glad."
_______________
Salem Bible Church has a good commentary on this verse, including many examples of where we can find "good words" in the Bible and the ways in which, and reasons why, those words bring comfort, peace, and joy to others. Some of the Bible verses mentioned are Philippians 4:6-7, 1 Peter 5:7, Matthew 11:29, Psalm 55:22, Psalm 42:10, Psalm 62:8, Luke 12:22, Luke 12:25-26, and Isaiah 50:10.If you want to read the commentary, here's the link: https://www.salembible.org/proverbs-index/proverbs-12-index/proverbs-12_25/.
SEPTEMBER 11
God Creates the Sun, Moon, and Stars
In Genesis 1:1, we're told that God created heaven and earth. The process of creation, including a day of rest, took a total of seven days. According to the Bible, this is what happened on Day 4:
Genesis 1:14-15: "And God said, Let there be lights [referring to the sun and moon] in the firmament of the heaven [or 'in the sky'--see note below*] to divide [separate] the day from the night; and let them [the sun and moon] be for signs [of good and bad weather, of time for planting and harvesting crops, etc.], and for seasons [of summer, winter, spring, and fall], and for days, and years: And let them [the sun and moon] be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so."
Genesis 1:16,17-18: "And God made two great lights; the greater light [the sun, which produces its own light and is bigger, brighter, and greater in intensity than the moon] to rule the day, and the lesser light [the moon, which reflects the light of the sun] to rule the night: he made the stars also. And God set [placed, put] them [all--sun, moon, and stars] in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth, And to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness: and God saw that it was good [or 'a good thing']."
Genesis 1:19: "And the evening and the morning were the fourth day [of creation]."
_______________
*The meaning of the word firmament is explained in the following article: "What was the firmament in the Bible?" If you want to read it, here's the link: https://www.gotquestions.org/firmament-Bible.html.SEPTEMBER 10
This was King David's prayer to God:
Psalm 19:14: "Let the words of my mouth [everything that I say], and the meditation of my heart [all of my thoughts], be acceptable in thy [your] sight [or 'be pleasing to you'], O LORD, [because you are] my strength, and my redeemer [i.e., the one who has redeemed (rescued, delivered, saved) me from my bondage (slavery, subjection) to sin--see note below*]."
_______________
Hopefully, if you're a born-again Christian, the above prayer can be your prayer, too.* * * * *
You may be wondeering,"How can I let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing to God (Psalm 19:14)?" That question is answered in the GotQuestions.org article by the same name. To read it, click here: https://www.gotquestions.org/words-mouth-meditation-heart-pleasing.html.* * * * *
*The word redeemed is defined in the article entitled "What is the meaning of Christian redemption?" If you want to read it, here's the link: https://www.gotquestions.org/redemption.html.SEPTEMBER 9
This instruction from God was delivered by Moses to the people of Israel as part of Old Testament law:
Deuteronomy 22:5: "The woman shall not wear that which pertaineth [pertains] unto a man [or 'which is designed specifically for men'], neither shall a man put on a woman's garment [item of clothing designed specifically for women]: for all [people] that do so [cross-dress, or wear clothes meant for the opposite sex] are abomination [a hateful, detestable, disgusting thing] unto the LORD thy [your] God."
_______________
Some Bible commentators, including Matthew Poole, agree that there may be one exception to the above rule: to save a life. According to Reverend Poole:"This [cross-dressing] shall not be done ordinarily or unnecessarily, for in some cases it may be lawful, as to make an escape for one's life …"
(Source: https://biblehub.com/commentaries/poole/deuteronomy/22.htm, "Matthew Poole's Commentary," "Deuteronomy 22:5")
* * * * *
After reading today's verse, you may have questions about cross-dressing and women wearing pants. Here are two important and very interesting articles I found that deal with those subjects:-- "What does the Bible say about cross-dressing / transvestism?"
(https://www.gotquestions.org/cross-dressing-transvestism.html)
-- "Should Christian women wear pants?"
(https://www.gotquestions.org/women-wear-pants.html)
SEPTEMBER 8
God Hates Idolatry
The following verse is part of what Moses told the Levites to say to the men of Israel. It's the first of a number of curses and confirms what was written by God in the Ten Commandments (i.e., Commandment #2, Exodus 20:4,5,6).
Deuteronomy 27:15: "Cursed [by God will] be the man [or person] that maketh [or 'who makes'] any graven or molten image [i.e., a statue or idol to be used as an object of worship--see note below*], [which is] an abomination unto the LORD [or 'something that God hates'], [and which is] the work of the hands of the craftsman, and [cursed is the man who] putteth it [puts it--the idol] in a secret place [where it can't be seen by others]. And all the people shall answer and say, Amen [or 'so be it,' meaning they understood and agreed with what had been said]."
_______________
*According to an article entitled "What is a graven image?" by GotQuestions.org:"… A graven image is an image carved out of stone, wood, or metal. It could be a statue of a person or animal, or a relief carving [i.e., figures or patterns carved into a flat piece of wood] in a wall or pole. It is differentiated from a molten image, which is melted metal poured into a cast [or mold] …"
The article then goes into a detailed explanation of idolatry.
____________________
If you want to read more of the article, here's the link: https://www.gotquestions.org/graven-image.html.
SEPTEMBER 7
A Warning About Sexual Immorality
In the 7th chapter of Proverbs, King Solomon is telling his son to stay away from "strange women" (referring to sexually immoral women, commonly called prostitutes, harlots, whores, adulteresses, mistresses, etc.).
Regarding the sexually immoral woman, Solomon says:
Proverbs 7:25: "Let not thine [don't let your] heart decline to [turn aside to, lean toward] her ways, go not [don't go] astray in her paths [i.e., stay on the right path and don't follow hers]."
Proverbs 7:26: For she [the sexually immoral woman] hath [has] cast down many wounded [men, like soldiers on a battlefield]: yea [yes], many strong men have been slain [killed, destroyed] by her." [In other words, because of their involvement with sexually immoral women, many men have ruined their reputations and been afflicted with disease, guilt, shame, etc. Examples from the Bible of men who were 'wounded' or 'slain' by sexually immoral women include King David, King Solomon, and Samson.]
Proverbs 7:27: "Her [the sexually immoral woman's] house is the way to hell, going down to the chambers [rooms] of death."
_______________
Salem Bible Church has an excellent commentary on verses 7-27 of the 7th chapter of Proverbs (click here to read those verses: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%207%3A7-27&version=KJV), which tells of a young man who becomes involved with a prostitute. In that commentary, Pastor Jim Delany describes the young man and his failures, the consequences of his actions, and the moral of the story.____________________
Today's verses (Proverbs 7:25-27) are addressed near the end of Pastor Delany's commentary, as follows, under the heading "The Moral of the Story":
"1. Now Solomon asks his son to pay attention. He is about to give the moral of the story just told. (vs. 24) [Proverbs 7:24]
"2. The moral of the story: (vs. 25) [Proverbs 7:25]
"a. Don't let your heart (mind; inner man) be drawn in by her [the sexually immoral woman]
"b. Keep your body out of her paths! Stay out of her neighborhood! Run away! If you see her coming, head in the other direction.
"c. Stay away mentally and physically!
"• Don't fill your mind and heart with her ways--through bad literature… pornography… TV… soap operas… movies…
"• Avoid places where you are likely to run into such temptation.
"• Keep your heart with all diligence… keep it pure… clean…
"• Keep your body away from anything and everything that will stir up evil in your heart--TV, movies, videos, literature, impure web sites… theatres… shows, beaches, clubs, parties--anything that will stir up your flesh.
"3. Reasons to stay away:
"a. She (the immoral woman) has not only wounded a few, but MANY men have been wounded by her!
"• Many STRONG men (physically) have been slain [killed or destroyed] by her!
"• This ONE sin [adultery] has been the ruin of MANY people… many households… many families… many men and women, young and old.
"• Strong men--like [King] Solomon himself--have been completely undone by this sin… their lives ruined… their testimony for the Lord ruined… their ministries ruined…
"• Solomon wants to warn his son that if MANY STRONG men have been ruined by this sin--don't be so presumptuous [overconfident] to think it won't harm you!
"b. Her house is the way to death and hell… (vs. 27) [Proverbs 7:27]
"• Death--her husband; disease; the stress of a double life; drugs and alcohol which often accompany such behavior…
"4. Moral purity… faithfulness to one's marriage partner is the way of life and peace. Adultery is the way of death and guilt. Choose life!"
If you want to read more of Pastor Delany's commentary, here's the link: https://www.salembible.org/proverbs-index/proverbs-7-index/proverbs-7_7-27/.
* * * * *
The GotQuestions.org article entitled "What is sexual immorality?" has even more reasons for heeding (paying attention to) King Solomon's advice. If you want to read it, here's the link: https://www.gotquestions.org/sexual-immorality.html.SEPTEMBER 6
Lessons From the Ant (for Lazy People)
Proverbs 6:6-8: "Go to [observe, watch] the ant, thou sluggard [you lazy person]; consider her ways [learn from the ant], and be wise: Which [referring to the ant,] having no guide, overseer [supervisor], or ruler [or 'without having someone to tell her what to do' (i.e., doing things by instinct)], Provideth [provides] her meat [or 'searches for food'] in the summer, and gathereth [gathers] her food in the [time of] harvest."
Proverbs 6:9: "How long wilt thou [will you] sleep, O sluggard [lazy person]? when wilt thou [will you] arise out of thy [your] sleep [or 'when will you wake up and get up']? "
Proverbs 6:10-11: "Yet a little sleep, a little slumber [a period of light sleep (dozing) or inactivity], a little folding of the hands [bringing the hands together] to sleep: So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth [or 'one who travels,' meaning step by step, or gradually], and thy want [your inability to have--or buy--the things that you want or need] [shall come suddenly and unexpectedly,] as an armed man [does, or as when a robber attacks a defenseless person and steals his or her possessions]."
_______________
According to Pastor Jim Delany of Salem Bible Church, the above verses are about using our time wisely and changing bad habits.____________________
In Proverbs 6:6-8 of Pastor Delany's commentary, we learn that ants are good examples for us to follow because:
-- They [the ants] are self-motivated [or do things without being told].
-- They are diligent (conscientious) and hard-working.
-- They don't pretend to be busy when they really aren't [busy].
-- The don't procrastinate [put things off] or make excuses for not doing things (such as 'it's too hot')
-- They don't put pleasure above work.
-- They make good use of opportunities to work.
-- They store things up for the future.
____________________
This is what the Proverbs 6:9 commentary says about the dangers of laziness. To the question "How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard?" the pastor responds as follows:
"3. HOW LONG is a good question! Every once in a while, it might do us all good to chart out [figure out, determine] what we do with our time…
"• How long do we sleep?
"• How long do we lie on the couch and vegetate [relax, do nothing]?
"• How long do we sit in front of the TV or computer?
"• How long do we spend reading the Word [i.e., God's word, the Bible]? [How much time do we spend] In prayer?
"• After making a chart of how our time is spent, we might see some areas that need prioritizing [putting in order of importance]… rearranging…
"4. WHEN is a good question too. 'When will you arise [get up]?'
"a. The lazy man is challenged to consider how long he sleeps.
"b. Then he is challenged to DO something about it--get up!
"c. When? When will you get up? When will you change your bad habits?
"d. If we are wasting time, we too should be challenged: when are you going to do something about it? When are you going to change?
"e. Arising is the answer to sleeping too much--just get up!
"f. Notice how simple God's answer to this lazy man's problem is: Arise! Get up! You don't need a 12 step program [like Alcoholics Anonymous uses] to deprogram yourself from old habits… just obey [the Bible:]… arise…"
____________________
If you want to read one or both of Pastor Delany's commentaries on today's verses, here are the links:
-- Proverbs 6:6-8: "Go to the Ant"
(https://www.salembible.org/proverbs-index/proverbs-6-index/proverbs-6_6-8/)
-- Proverbs 6:9-11: "How Long Wilt Thou Sleep?"
(https://www.salembible.org/proverbs-index/proverbs-6-index/proverbs-6_9-11/)
* * * * *
GotQuestions.org has articles relating to this verse. They are as follows:-- "What does the Bible say about laziness?"
(https://www.gotquestions.org/laziness-Bible.html)
-- "What is a sluggard?"
(https://www.gotquestions.org/Proverbs-sluggard.html)
SEPTEMBER 3-5
Debts and Charity
Proverbs 3:27: "Withhold not good [things, or 'don't withhold anything good,' such as money or help] from them to whom it is due [e.g., needy people, creditors, etc.], when it is in the power of thine [your] hand [or 'when you have the ability'] to do it [i.e., offer assistance or pay your debts]."
Proverbs 3:28: "Say not [don't say] unto thy [your] neighbour [or your friend, relative, creditor, etc.], Go [away], and come [back] again, and to morrow I will give [it to you]; when thou hast it by thee [or 'when you already have what they want or need and can give it to them right now']."
_______________
Pay your debts when they are due, and be kind, helpful, and charitable to those who are suffering.* * * * *
According to Pastor Jim Delany of Salem Bible Church, "… The specific example here [in the above verses] is of refusing to pay when we have the money or the ability…"____________________
The pastor's commentary on the above verses is excellent and includes many examples of how and why people get into debt and what they should and shouldn't do about it. It shows how we can avoid taking on too much debt and becoming overwhelmed by it, and it also tells why some people refuse to pay what they owe. At the end of the commentary, we learn that these verses also teach us that we should be kind to others.
____________________
Here are some excerpts from the commentary:
From the introduction:
"3. To whom would our money be due?
"a. If we borrow money from another person…
"b. If we borrow money from a bank or finance company…
"c. If we borrow someone else's property (car; snow blower; bicycle; stereo)
"d. If we owe someone a service--by bartering [exchanging, trading] your time of service for money or for property--or even someone's else's service. (the plumber who promises to fix the carpenter's leaky sink if the carpenter promises to fix his leaky roof!)
"e. If we purchase items with a credit card…
"f. If we hire someone to do a job, and they do the job…
"g. If we live in a country, enjoy its services, then we owe taxes…
"h. If we have been saved and appreciate God's grace, we are responsible to give to the Lord's work [for example, to churches or missionaries or Christian organizations] … it is due…
"i. If we borrow money, time, or service, we have become a debtor to that person or company or country."
From the "Withhold Not Good" Section:
"5. Before we ever begin a project (building a house; buying a car; etc) we are to sit down and count the cost whether we are able to finish the project--and pay for it! (Luke 14:28-30)
"a. The point is that we are NOT to get in over our heads.
"b. We are NOT to borrow more than we can pay back.
"c. We are NOT to live beyond our means.
"d. We are NOT to involve ourselves in a commitment we are not able to finish.
"e. Doing our homework AHEAD of time will prevent us from making this mistake. It will keep us out of that awkward position of owing… being in debt… and finding ourselves unable to pay…
"6. However, the passage in Proverbs seems to be warning about something even worse. The warning is about REFUSING to pay money owed, even when we have it!"
"b. We too can commit this kind of sin.
"• In running a business, we have no right to withhold payment to our creditors… or to companies that have supplied us with goods or services.
"• In running a household, we have no right to hire servicemen [to] come and fix our home or car, if we know we can't pay them… and we are going to put off payment when the bill comes in…
"• We might be mad at a company/doctor/serviceman and refuse to pay.
"• We can withhold good because of a grudge [feeling of resentment]; anger; procrastination; laziness; revenge;--all of which are wrong and [are] forbidden by this [Bible] passage."
From the "When it is in the power of thy hand to do it" section:
"3. There are times when we may NOT have the power or ability to pay off a loan or a bill.
"a. A man may begin a project, count the cost, and crunch [analyze] all the numbers and the project may seem quite do-able.
"b. But the economy could turn sour [or get worse, as in a recession]--suddenly and unexpectedly… any number of things could happen.
"c. We might find ourselves without power or ability to pay. That is not the point of this passage.
"d. This passage speaks of someone who is ABLE to pay but refuses. [Examples include:]
"• The McCoys and the Joneses having a feud [a prolonged, bitter quarrel or fight]…
"• The man who piles up bills and doesn't pay them, in order to save money for his vacation…
"• The man who promised to do a good deed for someone, and is able to do so, but keeps putting it off… procrastination."
From the "Applications" section:
"1. While this text [referring to the above verses] seems to be speaking specifically of paying back something that is owed to another, there are many applications that can be made about our responsibility to do GOOD unto others.
"2. In principle, this passage is similar to James 2:15-16
"a. In this text, nothing is actually OWED to the poor man.
"b. But there is a moral obligation to help.
"c. If a brother [a fellow Christian] is destitute (starving; naked; etc)--drastic circumstances--we [Christians] are morally obligated to help.
"d. This does not refer to the brother who comes to borrow money for a new leather coat or one who needs money to eat at [a restaurant called] the Tavern on the Green [both of which things are wants, not needs].
"e. It speaks of a brother who is destitute [penniless, lacking the basic necessities of life]. This is more like the situation of the Good Samaritan who found a man lying destitute on the side of the road.
"f. Vs.16 [James 2:16]-- saying, "Depart, be warmed and filled" is sending him away without helping. You are withholding good! It is just like saying, "Go and come again; tomorrow I will give."
"g. If we can help a brother or sister in Christ [a fellow Christian], we should [do so].
"• We may be used at times.
"• There will always be freeloaders who take advantage of Christian generosity.
"• But over all, if we can help, we should.
"• If it is within our ability and power--don't withhold.
"2. Gal. 6:10 -- as we have opportunity, let us do good to all men, especially to those of the household of faith [meaning other Christians].
"a. As we have opportunity--speaks of a person who has the power or ability to help.
"b. We [Christians] have been called [by God] to do GOOD works… we are to walk in the good works that God has ordained for us. (Eph. 2:8-10) This is the natural FRUIT [result] of salvation, never the root [foundation, basis]!
"c. When opportunity arises to do good, DO it. Don't withhold it.
"d. The question always arises--where do we draw the line?
"• If we give money away, there will be a line of people at our door every day!
"• I am ABLE to work every night--helping out a different [Christian] brother every night of the week.
"• But we also have to prioritize the use of our time.
"• We also have to consider other things: our health; our family; responsibilities; our limits.
"• We ARE to help and not to withhold help… but do it WISELY! Certainly the book of Proverbs while promoting KINDNESS also is promoting WISDOM in how we live our lives!
"3. Titus 3:1 -- We are to be READY to every good work.
"a. That means we are NOT to put it off till mañana [tomorrow]!
"b. Ready = ready; prepared; even eager [enthusiastic]
"c. We shouldn't be withholding good from others. It shouldn't take a crowbar [a steel bar used as a lever] to get us to do good to others.
"d. Good should naturally FLOW out of one who is [born again, or] saved by grace [in other words, someone who is a Christian]!"
If you want to read the rest of the commentary, here's the link: https://www.salembible.org/proverbs-index/proverbs-3-index/proverbs-3_27-28/.
SEPTEMBER 2
More Soul Winners Needed!
Matthew 9:35: "And Jesus went about [traveled to] all [of] the cities and villages [of Galilee], teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel [good news] of the kingdom [of God; i.e., heaven], and healing every sickness and every disease among the people.
Matthew 9:36: "But when he [Jesus] saw the multitudes [crowds--large numbers of people who had followed him], he was moved with compassion on [sympathy, pity, and concern for] them, because they fainted [not only from weakness, exhaustion, hunger, thirst, etc., but also from spiritual burdens], and were scattered abroad [spread out over a large area], as [like, similar to] sheep having no shepherd."
Matthew 9:37-38: "Then saith [said] he [Jesus] unto his disciples, The harvest [referring to people seeking spiritual guidance and salvation] truly is plenteous [abundant, plentiful], but the labourers are few [in number]; Pray ye [you] therefore [to] the Lord of the harvest [God], that he will send forth labourers [Christian workers, missionaries, soul winners, etc.] into his harvest [to teach those people about the Bible and show them how to be saved]."
_______________
Jesus said that the world needs more soul winners, so, if you're a born-again Christian, won't you please (as Jesus requested) ask God to send them and/or consider becoming one yourself?* * * * *
Soul winning, which is also called personal evangelism, consists of several things: prayer, biblical knowledge, a story, the right attitude, and obedience, not results. All of those things, along with additional information about evangelism and some tips on how to become a successful soul winner, are explained in the article entitled "What is personal evangelism?" If you want to read it, here's the link: https://www.gotquestions.org/personal-evangelism.html.SEPTEMBER 1
Psalm 118:24: "This is the day which the LORD [God] hath [has] made; we will rejoice and be glad in it."
_______________
According to many Bible commentators, this verse refers to the Sabbath (see note below*), which is observed on Saturday as a day of rest and worship for Jewish people. Christians have not been commanded to keep the Sabbath and are free to continue with their normal daily activities on that day.But no matter who we are or what we're doing, we should always be thankful for every day that is given to us by God, especially Sunday (also known as the "Lord's day," when Christians gather together at church to worship) and Easter (when we celebrate the resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ).
* * * * *
*GotQuestions.org has written several articles to answer questions about the Sabbath. One of them is entitled "What day is the Sabbath, Saturday or Sunday?" and can be found here: https://www.gotquestions.org/Saturday-Sunday.html.